Boom track for bucket concrete distributors



Dec. 1l, 1928. 69472 .J. E. BUSHNELL BOOM TRACK FOR BUCKET CONCRETE DISTRIBUTORS Filed June 18, 1927 gnou/woz f more or less outward inclination.

Patented Dec. 1:1,

rr 'rar AJ'AIVIES E. BUSI-INELL, OF NORTH LANFIELB, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNOP, '10 RANSOME 0F NEW JERSEY.

BOOM TRACK FOR BUCKET CONCRETE DSTEBUTORS. h

Application lcd June 18,

The improvements relate primarily to concrete mixing and distributing machines employing a rotary mixing drum with a dis charge chute and a cable operated bucket traveling to and from the mixer along an extending boom mounted to swing horizontally and be adjusted vertically. Such machines are most frequently employed on concrete road paving work and are known pavers. The bucket is suspended rfrom a carriage with suitable rollers employing the bottom flange of the boom-which is usually of -beam or similar form-as a track, and the concrete is thus distributed by the bucket and dumped on the roadway where it is'spread and placed to form the vconcrete pavement.

@wing to the nature of the materials and their gritty character', and the dirt-y general environment7 and the weight of the concrete (a` cubic yard weighs approximate ly 2 tons), the bottom flange of the beam is subj 2t to considerable wear, which not only tends to wear out and weaken the said flange, but in time produces an uneven track resulting in an increased strain on all the parts of the distributing apparatus, 'waste of power, and other undesirable results. The construction of l-beams and channels or U-beams is also such that the llanges are not absolutely true, and have a All this causes undue wear on the bearings and other parts of the bucket carriage or trolley"7 and other parts and makes against ellicient and accurate operation. p

Although these objectionable features have been well recognized for many years no adequate remedy appears to have been provided, and engineers and workmen engaged in the construction and operation of concrete distributing plants of the character re fer-red to seem to have regarded it as a necessary evil. y Y

The objects of therpresent improvements are primarily to provide a smooth, even removable and replaceable track for the bucket carriage on the boom; to protect the boom flange against Wear and to ena-ble the manufacturer' to provide and the user to employ means whereby the track may be made more or othe 1wise secured tothe 192?. 'serial no.` leases.

satisfactory in various ways. Other objects and advantages will appear to thosefamiliar with apparatus of the character described. i

The' improvements are illustrated'in the acpmpanying drawings, in which L l is la side elevation of a portion ofa distributing'boom-for a concrete mixer with bucket and its vtraveling hanger, thereon; ig. 2 is avertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, with the lower part of the bucket hanger broken away; Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of a modified form of track; and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the Vtwo forms of track.

The boom may be of any desired construction, but the best construction for strength, economyl and durability, without great weight, andthe preferred construction coinprises a pair of channels or U-beams l coni ,.eted by vertically arranged U-beam pieces 2 between them, with'their flanges 'riveted webs of the in the ,chanspacers 2 permits a bucket opera-ting cable to clear. 'lherollers 3 or "trolley/s on which the Vbucket is suspended for travel lengthwise of the boom are also of any desired construction.I but preferably of the construction shown, wherein their rims are flat, so as to give a maximum bearing surface on the lower flange. l of the booni. The bucket hangers 4i are connected with the axles of the rollers 3 in any desired manner, and the bucket 3 is suspended thereby. The particular form of all ofthe parts just dey scribed is not essential to the present improvements.

rlfhe flanges l of the beams lA are usually tapered, owing to the action of the rolling methods and means employed in their production, and therefore have an outward, downward slope. This normally causes the wheels to assume a position ata slight angle to the vertical and to the plane of the boom, but may be compensated foi` by formingthe hangers 4 as shown in Fig. 2. Nevertheless the load on the bearings 6 should be as nearly vertical as possible, and when roller bearings of well known type are usedit is a great 100 advantage to insure this.

On the upper side ofthe bottom flange l beams l.' A cut-out portionv 2 nel sections or of the boom separate strips 7 or 8 are secured, by means of bolts 9 passing through t-he flanges and into or through the strips or other suitable securing means. If the bolts extend throughrrthe track strips their heads should be countersunk therein so as to be flush With the upper surface thereof and thus avoid any unevenness in the surface over vvh-ich the Wheelsv or rollers 3 travel. Bolts of any suitable character may be employed, but in all cases they should be removable, so that the track strip may be removed when worn and replaced or inverted so that the side Which has not been subjected to Wear may be turneduppermost. In the form illust'ratedin Figs. 2 and l the track strip 7 is ofuniform gauge or thickness, but in the form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 it is tapered or Vbeveled so that when placed on a tapering zontal anc` the ro boom flan e its upper surface Will be hori- 1ers 3 will be in vertical planes with their bearings horizontally disposed. It will be apparent that other modifications Vmay employed to suit various conditions and variations in the construction of the carriage, its rollers and their bearings. To4 renew thel track strips or reverse them it isl only necessary to remove the fastening means and accomplish this, Without disturbingthe other Vparts of the distributing apparatus,` except that the rollers must be temporarily removed fromV the track, after which the boom may be svvung sidevvise and the track strips renewed. It will' thus be seen that y the present improigelnents provision is made for a smooth and truef carriage track at all times and that Wear or interi therete may be repaired Oe theY job,

Without renewing, or even dismounting the boom.

I claim:

l. In a device of the character described, the combination with a boom having a laterally extending integral bottom flange and a bucket carriage with rollers adapted to travel thereon lengthwise of the boom, of a removable metallic strip having high Wearing quality secured along the upper surface of the sai-d iange and in close contact there- With, saidV strip having a plurality of Wearing surfaces and capable of being reversed when one side is Worn.

2. In a device of the character described the con'ibination With a boom including a laterally extending bottom flange and a bucket carriage with rollers. adapted to travel thereon lengthwise of the boom, of a supplemental strip having high wearing quality supported on and secured through the upper surface of said flange and in close Contact therewith.

.l In a device of the character described, the combination with a boom including a laterally extending bottom flange and a bucket carriage with rollers adapted to. travel thereon lengthwise of the boom, of a supplemental strip having high Wearing quality supported onand secured through the upper surface of said 'Fi-ange and in close contact therewith, said strip having a plurality of Wearing surfaces and capable of being turned when one surface is Worn.

Witness my hand this 16 day of June, 1927;, count-y of Middlesex, State of New Jersey.

JAMES r.. BUsi-iNELL. 

